As the warmth of August surrounded us and summer adventures called, our artisans embraced the art of portable creativity, crafting projects that are perfect for on-the-go moments. For August, we invited our Artisans to share the sewing projects they could take anywhere—whether relaxing on a beach, exploring a new city, or simply enjoying a quiet moment in the garden.
From soothing sessions of English Paper Piecing (EPP) to hand embroidery, our artisans have risen to the occasion, crafting inspiring pieces that embody the essence of summer sewing. These projects not only highlight the versatility of portable crafts but also serve as a gentle reminder to slow down and savor the creative process, wherever your summer takes you.
A huge thank you to all our August participants! Your passion and creativity continue to make our community a vibrant and inspiring space. Let’s dive into these beautiful projects and celebrate the beauty of creating, one stitch at a time!
Maude MacDonald
Sewing in the summer and sewing on the go for me means EPP: English Paper Piecing! My upcycled vintage sheets project calls for Aurifil 80wt which stays strong, but is thin enough to hide some not so perfect stitches.
Aurifil Thread used: 6722 in 80wt
Amy Freyn
I’m mainly a longarmer but I do love some English Paper Piecing. This blue footed booby (a bird found in Galápagos Islands, as well as along the Eastern Pacific coastline) is my very first time making my own EPP pattern (with the help of @crafty_geeks). He was very portable, as he went from Ecuador to The Festival of Quilts (being basted and assembled on planes, trains, and hotel rooms) and completed in Ecuador (his motherland).
Aurifil Thread used: 28wt 2479 for thread basting, 80wt 2615 for piecing, and 40wt 2692 and 8wt 2000 to embroider the eye.
Sandy Saengsuk
Hand quilting is my absolute love, and you can do it anywhere. The only part I do not like is marking my design. I always try to find a way to escape that task 😁 This time, I found a mini stencil template, basted onto my fused top fabric, and started stitching on our way to the North Shore (our favorite camping spot). I dyed this linen blend using sappanwood with iron about a week before the trip. I just loved how the color turned out, I knew right away I had to use this new Aurifil 8wt thread by Anna Maria in Blossom Pink (2530) for it.🌸
Aurifil Thread used: 8wt #2530
Janice Reimer
I’ve been wanting to teach myself how to loomless weave for a while now, and this challenge was the perfect opportunity to give it a try. The front design was inspired by a sawtooth star block, and the back design is based on a courthouse steps block.
Aurifil Thread used: floss: 2915, 2214, 5022, 2155, 2560, 2525, 5007, 4644
Kimberley Arnold
The summer holidays have been the perfect opportunity to take my new bojagi project out and about with me and my boys! I used Korean silk and Aurifil 2625 in 80wt to make four small panels which were sewn during football practice and visits to the local lido and family. They were then eventually sewn onto a frame to make a lamp.
Aurifil Thread used: 80wt in 2625, 50wt in 7001
Annie Tremblay
This month’s Aurifil Artisan challenge was perfect for vacations. Of course my favorite on the go project is hand quilting. I started this light double gauze whole cloth to bring along at the beach and camping. Using almost all the colors in the beautiful Evolve collection by Suzy Quilts was a dream. The colors are stunning and the 8 weight thread is so nice to work with!!
Aurifil Threads used: 8wt in 5001, 2930, 2420, 2215, 2240, 2395, 2345, 2375, 2566, 2564, 2847, 4644, 2815, 2850, 2840, 2843, 6730
Susanne Kuprella
In my youth, I knotted friendship bracelets in all colors and patterns. Now I’ve started again, but not as a bracelet, but to add it to a bag as a little playful detail. Admittedly, it took me a while to get back into it, but then it was just like I rememberd: a relaxed on-the-go project. I used Aurifloss – the cool colors from the small Quaker ABC by Susane Ache and a white tone.
Aurifil Thread used: Aurifloss 1126, 5008, 2902, 2920, 2910, and 2310
Claire Houghton
August’s Artisan challenge was for a sewing project on the go. Spending time along the South coast of Cornwall, always means collecting lots of beautiful shells, which I`ve incorporated into a rock pool inspired embroidery. Lots of slow hand stitching and it’s still not finished!
Aurifil Thread used: floss 2375, 2315, 2021 8wt 2311, 6730, 2000 12wt 2405, 2468, 2310, 6723
Tania Tanti
“Encircle” — I’m working on several small, portable pieces to add hand-stitching to. I’ve been enjoying the versatility of the various thread weights and colors.
Aurifil Thread used: 80wt 5022, 80wt 1318, 50wt – 4020, 2270, 2350, 40wt – 2135, 2360, 1133, 2692, 28wt – 1200, 2325, 12wt – 2309, 2545
Amelia Ellen
I decided to do embroidery for my the ‘On the go’ August challenge. This project is so portable, I took it on two different staycations with me and it was a great activity to complete in the evenings while I was away from home. I also could imagine this would be a super portable craft while on train, car, coach, plane, boat and other journeys! I decided to add my embroidery to a t-shirt, I am so pleased with it and as always the Aurifil floss threads were amazing to work with! The template I used for this embroidery was from a book ‘Organza Hoop Art’ by Sarah Godfrey.
Aurifil Thread used: All floss threads: 2720, 2425, 1128, 2725, 2405, 2785.
Marta Wawrzyniak-Chade
What I really love about micro crochet is how easy it is to take anywhere—it’s the perfect travel companion that I can enjoy on the go. I love being able to squeeze in some quick crochet time in beautiful locations! This time, I hiked in the Black Mountains of South-West Poland. It took 4 trains, 2 car rides, and almost a full day to get there, but it was absolutely worth it! (For those curious: I kept my threads safe in an IKEA UTBJUDA lunchbox).
Aurifil Thread used: Aurifil 50wt
Janine Heschl
For the August Artisan Challenge I decided to have a go at hand embroidery with my favourite thread weight: 80wt. For a small piece like this Humboldt penguin the 80wt thread is ideal, as you get to add so many details before the background fabric is saturated. There are 12 colours in this embroidery ranging from black to grey to whites and a few shades of rosè.
Aurifil Thread used: 80wt
Vivian Doan
The Kiriki Press Matryoshka doll kit that I purchased two years ago is the perfect on-the-go project. I finally picked it up and decided to use just the silkscreened image of the doll to feature 15 of the spools from the gorgeous Glorious Kantha 12wt thread collection from Kaffe Fassett and Liza Lucy. I also used 4 spools from the new Anna Maria Textiles upcoming 8wt collection called Indelible. And one 8wt from my Artisan box from the Suzy Quilts collection Evolve.
Aurifil Thread used: From the Glorious Kantha 12wt Collection: 2260, 2530, 2520, 2395, 2535, 3235, 2120, 4020, 1231, 1104, 2860, 5022, 2145, 2479, 4093
From the Evolve 8wt Collection 2000, Indelible 8wt Collection 1148, 2120, 2530, 2520
Tamara Darragh
I embraced the spirit of on-the-go creativity by adding big stitch binding and hand quilting throughout my Always Together Quilt, using Aurifil 12wt thread in 13 warm, coordinating colors. This portable project became my perfect summer companion, whether I was sitting amongst the flowers in my garden, riding in the car, or curled up on the couch, bringing a piece of my craft wherever I went. The process of hand quilting offered a soothing pause, a time for slow, mindful creativity that allowed me to savor each stitch. I adore the texture and handmade essence this brought to the quilt, connecting making and memories.
Aurifil Thread used: Forty3 2315 for longarming, 50wt 2311 for piecing,
12wt for hand quilting and big stitch binding: 2215, 2420, 2155, 2335, 2375, 2405, 2125, 2205, 5022, 5006, 4182, 5008, 5007
Barbie Mitchell
Appliquè your day! I always carry some needle turn appliquè in my handbag… no matter where I go. It’s so portable and opportunities arise for sewing everywhere. I have prepared projects in pouches ready to grab and go.
Aurifil Thread used: 80wt for needle turn appliquè and match the thread with the appliquè fabric.
Elissa Ziccardi
The theme for this month is “Sewing Projects on the Go” – so incredibly appropriate with this period of transition during the month of August (not to mention loads of teaching for me all summer long!) It has been nonstop in our little corner of the world – and I definitely needed some EPP slow stitching to pack and take along for the ride! Enter my latest EPP WIP “Jouer a Cache Cache” featuring the playful Tabby Road DejaVu by @tulapink My quilt is slightly upsized from the original, and I am thrilled with the results of doing the “quilt math”. I have been fussy cutting these diamonds with delight all month long!
To date I have stitched 200 pieces of my initial 250 count in the ombré of diamond stars. To top it off – I wanted a sweet little bag to carry around this project, as I knew carrying my large EPP bag around wasn’t in the cards. I created an on-the-go bag that perfectly suited my needs of carrying my EPP basics in the zippered interior pockets, and could be tucked away quickly. I modified some parts of the case including adding a back pocket suited to this project on the go, and bonus points for fussy cutting that bag facing, because the LOVE is in the details every single time! I added some beautiful Tabby Road DejaVu and webbing from @renaissanceribbons. Truly a sewing project on the go! And I adore it.
Project: Jouer a Cache Cache by Willyne Hammerstein’s from Millefiori Quilts 5 Project: Zip It Up! Case (small size, with modifications for my needs) by @patternsbyannie Fabric: Tabby Road DejaVu by @tulapink for @freespiritfabrics
Aurifil Threads used: 50wt — 2535, 2479, 4020, 5002, 6729, 5015, 1231, 1147, and 4093
Lexi Ellis
For me this month was all about slowing down. Making an intentional effort to shift my pace and care for myself in the slow moments of each day. I always find that a slow stitch project is the most ultimately grounding way to check in with myself. This month I spent hours shuffling between English paper piecing, needle turn appliqué, and wrapping up the month with sweet embroidery. I found great joy in learning how to play with my favorite 12wt thread in a new way- with all of the texture embroidery has to offer. This zakka kit was a welcomed invitation for leaning into a small project and adding some function back into my life.
Aurifil Thread used: 12wt: 6732, 5013, 1135, 2835, 4020, 2435, 2479
Christine Joubert
Sewing on-the-go is an excellent way to remain creative on vacation. I take only a few tools in a little purse: thimble, thread-cutter, pins and needle, thread pre-wound on a bobbin and pre-cut pieces of fabric. So, during August, I’ve made some progress on appliqué and EPP projects, including my second La Passacaglia in black and white.
Aurifil Thread used: 2630 2309 and 4250 in 50wt
We encourage you to click through and check out each of these amazing projects in more detail!